Nostalgia...

You'll have seen articles and posts about my start.  I was just entering the double digit age range of 10 years old.  My birthday present was an instamatic 110, with the square flash cubes.  I was in heaven and had not a clue what I was doing.  My poor family!  They were incredibly good sports as I jammed the camera in their faces and tried to figure out what I was supposed to photograph.

Then my dad took an extension course at a local community college.  We lived in Davenport, Iowa at the time.  He invited us to learn with him.  Like most kids, I was in it for the fun.  In case you're wondering, a darkroom is fun.

It's cliche, but I still remember the smell of the various baths both the film and the prints have to take.  Then when the picture slowly fades in to existence, there is always a sense of "Yes!".

Several vintage cameras have made their way into my care since then, from friends and family who have trusted me to care for them as they did.  But my last purchase was sheer indulgence.  A Hasselblad.  It is the actual make and model of those sitting on the moon from the first flights there.  I watched this one on the shelf.  Prowled the aisles trying to avoid it.  Left the store with the thought that someone would snatch it up at the steal of a price it was. 

The universe meant this one for me though.  Upon my return, there it still sat.  But not for long that day.

And let me tell you... the chunk this beauty makes as I take shot after shot, learning it's feel and sweet spots.  It makes me hold my breath each time.  Did I mention I'm a bit of a dramatic romantic?

Realistically though, shooting with film still works with all the same principles.  You work on composition, light and the speed of your shutter.  When I finally had my multiple rolls of film developed, I was reminded though, how very different a film image can look.  There is a richness to them that is hard to describe. 

The true magic for me though is two fold.  First, you have to slow down.  It costs to miss a shot, so you work hard to get it right in camera.  There is no cheating.  You can't peek at the back of the camera.  Second, the excitement of the unknown.  The anticipation of either waiting for the film to be processed and ready or better yet, the need to lock yourself in a darkroom and develop it with your own hands.  It's an investment in time and care.

I anticipate soon buying all the gear my dad once used.  A little dark room of my own tucked in a corner of my little space.  A piece of nostalgia to feed the control freak in me.

This obsession is not going away any time soon.  You'll see many more images to come.